Cellulose-ether solvent and composition



UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

STEWART CARROLL" OF ROCHESTER O ASSIGNORQTO EASTMAN, {KODAK COMPANY OF ROCHESTER. NEW RK, A CORPORATION on NEW YORK CELLULOSE-ET'HER SOIL-TEN? AND COMPOSITIOlN'.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEWART J. CARROLL,

a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Rochester, in the county of Mon roe and State of New .York; have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cellulose-Ether Solvents and Compositions, (Case A,) of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relatesto solvents for making strong solutions of cellulose ether and also relates to the cellulose ether compositions produced by the aid of such solvents. One object of my'invention is to provide a solvent which will dissolve such large proportions of cellulose others that thick or viscous fiowable solutions may be obtained for use in plastic and film making arts. other object of my invention is to provide a cellulose ether solution which may be manufactured into strong, flexible, transparent film on the machines and by the methods now in use.

In U. s. Patent No. 1,188,376, Lilienfeld, June 20, 1916, there are disclosed a series of alkyl ethers of cellulose. Certain of these are practically insoluble in water, and my invention relatesbut is not limited to the ethers having that property. While the ethers form thin solutions in, the lower monohydroxy aliphatic alcohols or in monochlorbenzol, it has been found that such single solvents by themselves do not dissolve a sufiicient proportion of the ethers to make a desirably thick, fiowable compositlon or dope, such as may be used, for example, in the manufacture of photographic film base'by customary methods, or in other plasa tic'arts.

I have discovered, however, that an adequately strong and useful solvent may be prepared by mixing such. alcohols w th Inonochlorbenzol. I may combine, for 1nstance, methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, butyl alcohol (normal, iso or secondary) and fusel oil or the amyl alcohols, either singly or 1n various mixtures with monochlorbenzol.

The proportions may be greatly varied, but I find that a very useful range is from 50 to 10 parts by weight of alcohol mixed with 50 to 90 parts of monochlorbenzol. In the compound solvents thus prepared I dissolve, for example, water-insoluble ethyl Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 5,

An- I Patented Apr. 4, 1922. 1921. Serial No. 458,736.

cellulose until thick viscous fiowable solu-- .tions thereof are obtained. Of course, the

the process of film manufacture, so as to.

give a dope yielding films having the proper relative freedom from color. The viscousflowable dope above described can be used in connection with: the usual film-forming apparatus without the necessity of expensive alterations in the latter.

Having thus described my inv'ention,what I claim asv new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A compound solvent for others of celposition, comprlsing an alkyl ether of cellu-' lose dissolved in a compound solvent containing from 50 to 90 parts by weight of monochlorbenzol and from 50 to 10 parts by weight of a monohydroxy aliphatic alcohol.

6. A viscous flowable filnrformirlg composition, comprising an alkyl ether of 061111-- v.volatility remains in considerable amounts in lose dissolved in a compound solvent containinp approximately 50 parts by Wei ht of monochlorbenzol and 50 parts of me iyl alcohol. 1

7. A viscous flowable film-forming composition. comprising Water-insoluble ethyl "ellulose dissolved in a compound solvent containing monochlorbenzol and a liquid monohydroxy aliphatic alcohol.

. 8. A composition of matter, comprisin 1 part by weight of water-insoluble ethyl cel ulose dissolved in approximately 5 parts by weight of a compound solvent containing approximately equal parts by weight of monochlorbenzol. and a liquid monohydroxy aliphatic alcohol.

9. A composition of matter, comprising an ether of cellulose and monochlorbenzol.

10. 'As an article of manufacture, a flowed or deposited film comprising an alkyl ether of cellulose and monochlorbenzol.

11. As an article of manufacture, a. deposited or flowed flexible transparent film, comprising Water-insoluble ethyl cellulose and monochlorbenzol.

Signed at Rochester, New York, this 26th day of 'March, 1921.

STEWART J. CARROLL. 

